Puzzle



C. S. EVANS.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED .MAY14, I9I8.

Patented 001;. 26, 1920.

GM IN VEN T52 CHARLES sin/Inna EVANS, or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA. U

PUZZLE.

Application filed May 14, 1918. serial No. 234,375.

To all whomit may concern: r

Be 1t known that I,1C'HARLns SUMNER Evans, a citizen of the United States, and".

a resident of Berkeley, county: ofAlameda, and State of California, haveinvented a new and useful Puzzle, of which the following is a specification. c

My invention relates to puzzles, and an object of the invention is to provide an amusement device of current interest.

7 Another object of the invention is to provide a test for the steadiness ofhand and the patience of the user.

The invention possesses other features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be setforth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of my invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the, specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myselfto the showing made by the said drawings and description, as I may adopt variationsof the preferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claimsl Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the puzzle of my invention before solution. 1 r

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the puzzle after solution.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the puzzle. I I

Fig. 4c is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4 i of Fig. 1 V,

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5+5 of Fig. 1. Y

Broadly considered my puzzle consists of two pictures one adaptedto' be positioned upon the other. The lower or fixed picture expresses a certain set of facts or state of mind in opposition to or different from the upper one. Mechanical means diflicult to control are provided for moving the loose or mobile upper picture into position or into register with the lower one, and the task consists in manipulating the mobile operative means to effect such movement, so that the meaning of the lower picture is altered by the elements orderly superposed upon it.

The present embodiment of my invention includes a shallow case 6 having a' transparent cover or top 7 tightly sealed thereon, so that access to the interior of the case is denied, but the interior is 0 en to View. A picture 8 preferably of a we 1 known but un favorably regarded monarch is afiixed to the flat bottom 9 of thG bOX. The face preferably expresses a satisfying self esteem.

Arranged in the box (and movable about therein are one or more thin sheets of cardboard or other appropriate light material,

I Specification of Letters Fatent. Patented ()ct. 26, 1920.

shaped and printed to simulate separate fea- I tures of the face of the individualpictured. In the present instance apiece of card 11 roughly of T-form as shown in Fig. 3 is shaped and printed to presentthe appear ance of. two badly blackened eyes, one 12' being fully closed and the other 13 being nearly closed. A molded nose 14:, preferably of cork or papier-mach, and formed and colored to simulate the effects of hard usage is attached to the T-form card so that the nose and eyes are movable,,together as one member. Such member if QClGSlIBEl may be molded all in one piece from papier-mach or other suitable light material, but however made, it is intended to represent the eyes and nose of the personage delineatedin the picture 8, as they would appear after a disastrous personal encounter. The bottom of the nose and eyes member may be left flat, but preferably a slight hump 16 is provided either by asmall object placed between the card 11 and the bottom of the nose, or other appropriate means, at a point to one side of or on the median line of the nose and somewhat nearer to the eyes than the tip of the nose. The purpose of this hump is to make the movement of the nose and eyes member uncertain and difficult to control because it servesv as a pivot aboutwhich the member readily turns.

which to move the .nose and eyes member appropriate tipping of the case.

The existence of the hump 16 makes it A drop of mercury or a bear- 7 ing ball 17 is provided in the casing with almost impossible to move the noseand eyes member bodily sidewise, ithe tendency being for it to swing about tliehump as a plvot.

In order to make the movement of the member possible the tip of the nose member is undercut asat 18. This forms a, sort of shallow socket not apparent at first view but by means of which the mercury drop or'ball 17 maybe made to exert-slight lateral pressure upon the member. Preferably a similar hold is provided at the opposite end by a hollow 19.

The task or puzzle consists in moving the nose and. eyes member with the mercury drop or ball 17, by tipping the case, so as to superpose the member upon the picture 8,

, careful manipulation of the mercury drop or ball at either endof the nose. Contact with the side of the nose merely swings the member about a vertical axis. At best the course of the member is erratic. Of course the task is much simplified by making the under surface of the member flat, and this may be done if desired. If preferred, the superposable member may'consist of one or both eyes, or of eyes and nose separately, or other, or all features separately or together. In each case the superposed parts suggest an idea or tell a story different from, or contrasted with, the idea or story expressed by the uncovered picture or face.

If desired a small square block 21 of felt or cork may be included in the case. This block is to be interposed between the mercury drop or ball and the mobile nose and eye member in certain positions when it is desired to exert pressure against the eye members only. The eye members are quite thin, and the mercury or ball runs over them without affecting their position. The block presents a larger surface to the mercury or ball and so may be maneuvered into position againstthe thin edge of the eye member and the latter moved mediately instead of directly. Vhere the mobile member or feature is entirely flat without a molded portion, it is preferred to make it quite thin and use the weight operated block 21 for effecting all movements thereof.

I claim:

1. A puzzle comprising a case, a picture arranged in said case, a mobile member adapted to be superposed upon said picture to alter the expression or meaning thereof, and gravity operated means for moving said mobile member.

2. A puzzle comprising a case, a picture arranged in said case, a mobile member adapted to be superposed upon said picture to alter the meaning thereof,'gravity oper ated means for moving said member and means for increasing the difficulty of moving said member in any given direction.

3. A puzzle comprising a case, a picture arranged in said case, a mobile member adapted to be superposed upon said picture to alter the meaning thereof, means for mov ing said member and means for tending to to alter the meaning thereof, mobile means i for moving said member about said case,

and means for permitting said moving means to exert lateral pressure against the end of said mobile member. p

5. A puzzle comprising a case, a picture arranged in said case, a mobile member adapted to besuperposed upon said picture to alter the meaning thereof, mobile means for moving said member about said case, means for permitting said moving means to exert lateral pressure against the end of said mobile member, and means tending to cause said member to turn about an axis when subjected to said moving means.

6. A puzzle comprising a case, a pictured face arranged in said case, a mobile member consisting of a molded or pictured feature or featuresadapted to be superposed upon said pictured face to alter its expression, and mobilemeans for moving said member.

- 7. A puzzle comprising a case, a pictured face arranged in said case, a mobile member consisting of a molded nose adapted to be superposed upon said picture to alter its expression, and mobile means for moving said member, said member being provided with a shallow recess for renderlng more effective the engagement of said moving means with said member. a r

8. A puzzle comprising a pictured face, a mobile memberoonsisting of a molded or pictured feature adapted to be superposed upon said pictured face to alter its expression and provided with a hump upon its under surface, and;means for moving said member.

9. A puzzle comprising a case, a picture arranged in said case, a mobile member adapted to be superposed upon said picture to alter the meaning thereof, means for moving said member, and a. block adapted to be interposed between said member and said movingmeansl 1 In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 8th day of May, 1918. 0

CHARLES SUMNER EVANS. 

